Following its expansion plan, Sebrae chose to deploy its new headquarters in Bonito, aiming to support micro and small enterprises that are emerging in that region of the state.

The architectural project was designed with an emphasis on sustainability, both in construction and in operationalization of the building. It also features references to the natural attractions of the region, where the transparency and color of the water are unique aspects.

Linear openings in the cantilevered floor end over the water surface, plus the ridge vent along the thermoacoustic coverage, promote aeration while reducing the need for mechanical ventilation systems in the lobby.

The building is equipped with photovoltaic panels to provide energy self-sufficiency, as well as systems for reusing rainwater.

It has 718.40 square meters in built area, distributed over two stories. It houses administrative offices, internal and external training rooms (through the dock truck adapted for itinerant courses) and a lobby, designed as a multipurpose space to be used also by the community, as needed.

This construction is located in Tufi d’Agna, a small settlement in the mountain town of Corniglio, inside of the Tuscan-Emilian Appenine recently recognized by the UNESCO as a MAB (Man and the Biosphere Programme) reserve.

The small building, a farm building once used to shelter the shepherds and animals, was recovered as a refuge where the residential use, considering the remote location and the difficulties to achieve it, is sporadic and linked to the summer period.

This condition, together with the availability of spring water and undergrowth wood, led to choices that sustainability goals are achieved while maintaining and restoring the original character of the building before the work was in a state of severe degradation especially for the wooden parts of the cover subject to leaching and the precarious conditions of the mantle, and using recovery techniques traditional integrated with the sun and the necessary technological components, in order to maintain appearance of simple construction rural placed on the lawn. In this view of maintaining the historical witness, the perimeter walls of stone have been recovered and consolidated without using isolations.

The building is completely made independent in terms of energy through the placement of a photovoltaic system consisting of 12 panels of 290W placed on the cover of the wooden portico and connected to 8 gel storage batteries of 3kW each one.

The produced electricity is used for lighting, induction plates, water heating and operation of electric radiators for heating, supplemented by a wood stove with a power of 6.5 kW.

Solelyâ is the first home with a green roof deck in Coupeaux, in the commune of Les Houches. That choice and the work on the fifth façade resulted from a considered process and a desire to respect the environment – not only in ecological terms but in terms of respect, by limiting direct sightlines to neighbours. On these steep Coupeaux hillsides, the view from a roof includes a view of downhill neighbours.

In keeping with sound principles of thermal regulation, significant work went into optimizing the use of solar energy. The sun-facing façades were opened up, while the building has no north-facing openings. The existing building was insulated and renovated with high-performance solutions.

The main new feature is the addition of a living space consistent with the scale of the entire building, to make the most of this fine site nestled in the mountains.

The added space, a room made of glass and polished and lacquered black aluminum, contrasts with the original timber construction. That contrast is carried through to the uses of the different spaces, with the original low-ceilinged structure housing private spaces and bedrooms, while the modern section contains shared spaces designed for socializing.

Solelyâ now has two personalities, reflected in its two distinct entrances: a practical, family-oriented entrance, and a more dramatic entrance for guests.

The cantilevered structure of Solelyâ is particularly refined, lacking any posts. Situated on a promontory, it evokes homes we might see overlooking the Pacific Coast Highway in Malibu, so very far from Coupeaux.

Hobsonville Point has recently acquired a new Primary School, and selected the North Auckland Kindergarten Association (NAKA) to build, establish and operate an early childhood service on the site of the Primary School.

The concept for this centre came from analysis of the winning organisation, in particular its core values of Sustainability, Excellence and Aspiration. We expressed these as three whares housing the primary functions of the building. By rotating each whare and overlaying them, we formed a village, with a central ‘piazza’ at its heart. All classrooms flow onto this central space, as does the kitchen, creating a real social heart to the building and representing the organisations primary value – Hauora (health/wellbeing).

Natural daylighting – The building has been designed for maximise natural daylighting. Daylight factor is well over 2.5 at all times of year.

Great indoor / outdoor flow with classrooms experiencing over 80% visual connectivity to outside from each room

The artificial lighting is provided by energy efficient LED bulbs in pendants approx 80% more efficient than incandescent. Lighting zones are under 100m² and easily switched. Main kill switch at reception

The building is fully accessible to wheelchair and ambulant disabled users – flush thresholds on all doors and accessible reception desk and WC provided. Kitchen, laundry and all other staff facilities all fully accessible.

The spaces originally created by man, as a means of survival, were made out of natural materials and elements found near to hand which were transformed through the survival instinct. As time has gone by and with the arrival of modernity, materials are no longer basic and elemental; nowadays they form part of highly complex and sophisticated processes.

For NATURA, the design process began with a quest to recover an aspect of this natural transformation of the elements, and this resulted in residential models. In terms of its form, we explored the wonderful and natural process of how tree leaves become detached and fragmented, translating this phenomenon into concrete, imitating and applying it to the “living boxes” that contain glass features, while also subtly hinting at nature with this fragmentation and detachment of concrete.

The project has six housing blocks, each with six stories. At the far end of the plot a 15-floor building contains residential apartments on its upper floors and amenities on the lower levels. With this layout we created an enormous central garden at the heart of the development, thus restoring residential activity to this area encroached on by industry on the edge of Ciudad Satélite in the State of Mexico, in northern Mexico City.

The residential units measure between 90 and 148 square meters, and in total NATURA has a total of 344 units on a 20,770-square-meter plot.

Their concept is for a series of unique contemporary eco cabins that will sit gently on the site, nestling into the hill above the farm and quietly enjoying the expansive views and abundance of flora and fauna of Redland Bay.

The design and location of each eco cabin has been highly considered to allow for privacy and a sense of isolation without compromising the view, or the comfort and quality of the guests’ experience. The design is conceived as a modular construction to ensure that the site is disturbed as little as possible and to generate some sensible benefit from repetitive elements.

Recently granted approval from Redland Council the project is due to start on site in 2016.

Located in an existing botanical garden and gently surrounding the existing lake, the project shall aim at dynamically relate to the local community of artesans and craftmen so that a new wave of young local food economy may develop.

The relationship between the existing agricultural culture and local craftmanship in transforming harvests into delicious products is the main commercial aim of this project which otherwise is envisaged to be a moment of cultural and phisical relaxation for families and people of all ages.

The roof is a very simple timber and steel structure that sits on a grid of concrete columns and glazed facades.

A lot of effort has gone into developing a climate strategy that shall garantee low energy consumption and low pollution levels.

A children’s museum in essence should be a space that encourages children’s mind and produce a sense of discovery by playing. That’s why the concept of Labyrinth of Crete arises as the starting point for the Children’s Museum – Iztapalapa.

The Labyrinth of Crete is characterized by a playful element that sparks curiosity and the challenge to cross it. The starting point of this project serves as the central hall where groups of children will gather for the journey throughout at the end. The tour across the rooms occurs smoothly, in and out, blurring the outside with the inside. This allows to walk through the museum always differently, creating a different experience at each visit.

The Guest House is located in the city Dilijan, near the regional and financial complex of Central Bank of Armenia. The land of guesthouse is located in the north-east of CBA and is surrounded by forest.

The three-storey terraced building is constructed on the relief with 30% slope. The Guest House has a wonderful view to Dilijan city. The main materials used in construction are broken surface basalt, concrete and large faced glasses.

The project seeks to initiate a pattern clearly identifying the hospital campus on Spitalstrasse. With already two buildings of about 35m height, adding a third one makes the pattern evident. An important benefit of the slightly higher than average structure is the – in our eyes very necessary – casualness of the surrounding space, that so could become more convenient and less tight.

It is laid out on a very dense and limited floor area of about 600 sqm in the levels above ground, due to the local building regulations for houses higher than 25m. Hence almost all the walls – apart from the core and room-to-room separations – are made out of glass and adjustable curtains. The concrete core has a tapered section staircase referring to the frequency of movements, which are obviously higher on near ground levels.

The materials are chosen in a candid manor: concrete, wood, glass. We were trying to avoid cladding in order to work out an atmosphere of sincerity.